Big Money if Delmon Young Makes Weight

Young can receive up to $600,000 in bonuses if he makes weight for the Phillies.

A lot has been said about Delmon Young, including but not limited remarks about his rapid weight gain since becoming a Major Leaguer. Now, Young has incentive to see a new him the next time he looks in the mirror. The 2012 ALCS MVP will face six random weigh-ins from the Phillies – each time he makes weight, he will receive $100,000. The first three times, in order to receive the bonus, he must be 230 lbs or less, the second three, 235 lbs or less. Yes, you read that correctly – Young has incentive to lose weight but there is
no penalty should he re-gain an extra five pounds.

Young is currently listed at 240 lbs – assuming the first weigh-in will happen during the regular season, he has until potentially April 1 to lose 10 lbs, a clip of .15 lbs a day. Assuming a deficit of 3,500 calories is a pound of body fat, Young could maintain a deficit of 522.38 a day and healthily lose the weight by Opening Day.

Last year, we learned about some of the incentives players on the Phillies received should they accomplish great, but unlikely, things. For instance, Brian Schneider would have earned $100 K each should he have been the NL or World Series MVP in 2012 and Scott Podsednik would have earned $50 K had he become MVP. As a personal aside, I have struggled with my own weight and body image, so I know how difficult this can be. Hopefully, for his own health, the good of the club, and some cash, Young can shed a few extra pounds.